Dead Oklahoma mayor advances to ballot

The ex-mayor of an Oklahoma City suburb has advanced to the general election thanks to a Facebook campaign - despite being dead.

Ken Miller

Associated PressFebruary 14, 20192:43pm

Despite dying in December, the ex-mayor of an Oklahoma City suburb has advanced to the general election thanks to a Facebook campaign backing him.

Former Edmond Mayor Charles Lamb's name will be on the April 2 ballot with former Mayor Dan O'Neil after Lamb finished second to O'Neil in complete but unofficial results from the three-person race .

"It's sort of an awkward election," O'Neil said Wednesday.

"Mr. Lamb was a fixture in Edmond for a long time ... I will continue doing what he did."

If Lamb is elected, the City Council would appoint a mayor.

"There are people advocating for his election for their political reasons ... they want to be mayor," according to O'Neil, who served one term as mayor from 2007-2009 before losing re-election to former Mayor Patrice Douglas.

The campaign was led by Michelle Schaefer of Edmond, who referred questions to Councilman Nick Massey, who Schaefer hopes is appointed mayor.

Massey also called the situation awkward and said he would have run for mayor had Lamb not sought re-election.

When Lamb died it was too late to remove his name from the ballot or to add anyone else, according to city spokesman Casey Moore.

Although O'Neil received nearly 56 percent of the more than 6,200 votes cast, both he and Lamb, who received about 33 percent, will appear on the April ballot.